The Poet
by HPfan-Excalibur
Summary: The wizarding world has a new enemy. Malachi the Poet has killed dozens of wizards and Muggles alike. But will he get to his real target? Harry Potter...PLEASE READ AND REVIEW!
1. Malachi

A/N I wrote this opening chapter a while ago, and never got around to posting it. Tell me what you think!  
  
This is a story following one of Voldemort's Death Eaters.  
  
I do not own JK's characters but the Death Eater that the story focuses on is my own creation.  
  
A scream pierced the cold wintry night. It was a woman's scream. She yelled in pain and agony, writhing on the ground. Then, the noise stopped, and laughter rang out. Cold laughter. Laughter that should be feared. A green skull appeared in the sky. Later that morning, Aurors surrounded the scene of the torture. All that was left was a single note that read,  
  
** "Fear me in the nighttime,  
  
Fear me in the day,  
  
Fear me when the clock chimes,  
  
And never go astray."**  
  
After the first murder, more and more deaths followed; every time with a note with the exact same poem.

* * *

Ron looked out the window of the attic in Number 12, Grimmauld Place. It was a dark day, with black clouds rolling overhead. He felt like flying on his Cleansweep 11 but he knew that it would be forbidden. It was too dangerous to be outside the enchanted walls of Number 12. It was dangerous because of Voldemort, and yet another man. Malachi. (A/N don't you just love the name Malachi?) Malachi the Poet. He was almost as notorious as You- Know-Who these days. He tortures his victims until they can't remember who they are, and then kills them. After every death he would leave a poem with the same warning.  
  
** "Fear me in the Nighttime,  
  
Fear me in day,  
  
Fear me when the clock chimes,  
  
And never go astray."**  
  
That's what Ron couldn't do. Go astray. Now he knew why Sirius was so restless when he had had to stay here. Trapped in a musty old house with no one to talk to but that mental house elf Kreacher.  
  
Ron sighed at his old friend's name.  
  
Sirius's death had hit Harry hard. His owls to the Order had been short and to the point, as if he paid no attention to the fact that Sirius was gone. The only sign that Harry mourned his death at all were small spots on the parchment that were shriveled, as if his tears had dried on the long flight.  
  
_It must be awful._  
  
Behind him, Ron heard Buckbeak scratch at the door.  
  
"Looks like you miss Sirius as much as Harry does, Buckbeak."  
  
Buckbeak wimpered in reply. Then he went over to a corner of the attic and lay down for a nap.  
  
"Might as well not disturb you while you're taking a snooze." Ron walked down the stairs into the kitchen where his mother was preparing supper.  
  
"What are we having tonight, Mum?"  
  
"Oh, well I'm fixing meatballs and potatoes. You're welcome to help. Ginny is already skinning the potatoes."  
  
"No thanks, Mum."  
  
"I'll call you when dinner is ready." She turned towards him. Ron noticed the red around her eyes.  
  
_She's been crying again. Poor mum._  
  
On a whim, Ron raced up to his room and started writing a letter.  
  
** Dear Harry,  
  
How are you? Things are a nightmare here. Mum always seems on the edge of bursting into tears whenever Snuffles is mentioned. Buckbeak is doing well, considering. Write back soon.  
  
Sincerely**  
  
_** Ron  
**_  
_Is it smart mentioning Sirius? He's going to have to talk about it sometime. People can't keep things bottled up like that._  
  
And with that, Ron opened one of his books and started to study. 


	2. The Visit

A man screamed in pain. The next morning they found his body. They also found a note. He has struck again...

* * *

Sirius was dueling with Bellatrix Lestrange. He was hit with a curse and fell through the archway. Harry watched in horror. Bellatrix laughed maniacally.  
  
Flash  
  
"CRUCIO!"  
  
Bellatrix writhed on the floor of the Ministry of Magic.  
  
"New at using the Unforgivable curses aren't you? I'll show you how you really do it!"  
  
Flash  
  
Harry was walking alone in a dark room, except he wasn't alone. Wispy figures clawed at his robes, moaning in agony. Then, out of no where, Harry looked up, and saw the soul of Sirius floating in front of him.  
  
"I'm sorry Harry. I'm sorry I won't get to see you grow up."  
  
"Sirius? Why did you have to die?"  
  
"It was my destiny, which we have no control over. Your destiny is to confront Voldemort. One cannot live while the other is present."  
  
Sirius's voice started to fade. The other souls were pulling him back.  
  
Harry tried to move toward him, but the other souls held him in place.  
  
"SIRIUS!!! NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!"  
  
KABOOM! Thunder exploded in the summer sky. Lightning performed dazzling shows in the night, and Harry, now awake, shivered at the nightmare he just experienced.  
  
Taptaptap. A disheveled owl was knocking on the glass at Harry's window. It was Ron's owl, Pig. Harry let the bird inside his room, and it immediately stuck out it's leg and hooted with pride. He removed the letter from Pigwidgeon and started reading.  
  
**Dear Harry,  
  
How are you? Things are a nightmare here. Mum always seems on the edge of bursting into tears whenever Snuffles is mentioned. Buckbeak is doing well, considering. Write back soon.  
  
Sincerely  
  
Ron  
**  
_Why did he mention Sirius? Awfully gutsy on Ron's part._

Harry scribbled a reply.  
  
**Dear Ron,  
  
Privet Drive is miserable. I keep having nightmares about Sirius and my Occlumency hasn't helped. I can't wait to get back to Hogwarts.  
  
Your Friend,  
  
Harry**  
  
Harry beckoned Pig and reattached the parchment. Pig hooted and tried to fly out the window. Unfortunately, Harry had closed the window, and Pig smashed into it before Harry could open it. Pig stood up, shook his head, and fell over.  
  
"Well, I guess I'll send Hedwig."  
  
He attached a postscript in his letter about Pig staying with him and sent Hedwig out the door.  
  
"What a night."

* * *

Harry spent the rest of the month at the Dursleys subjecting himself to endless chores and bare portions of food. But one night, while Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia were watching the news, someone knocked on the door. Uncle Vernon, though annoyed, tried his best to keep a straight face as he answered the knock.  
  
"Hello Mr. Dursley. May I come in."  
  
Vernon just stood with his mouth open as a tall, bearded figure walked into his house and sat down in the living room.  
  
"Hello Petunia. How are you this evening? May I inquire on the whereabouts of Harry Potter?"  
  
"Erm...o-of of course. Harry!"  
  
Harry flew down the stairs muttering something that sounded like, "Bloody Muggles," and stopped dead at the sight of the stranger.  
  
"Professor Dumbledore?! What are you doing here?"  
  
"I've come to take you to Hogwarts, Harry. It is far too dangerous for you to travel by train, so I decided to bring you myself." Uncle Vernon continued staring, Aunt Petunia's lips were pursed like she had just drank lemon juice, and Dumbledore quietly asked for a cup of tea.  
  
Harry hurried over to the kitchen and started brewing the tea. But as he turned on the burner, the gears in his head started turning.  
  
Why was it too dangerous to travel by train?

* * *

I didn't get any reviews for my first chapter, so I have no one to thank but my Beta-reader. Thanks Cas. Three guesses why it's to dangerous to travel by train. -Waits patiently for guesses- Any day now. 


	3. Good Bye Dursleys

Okay. I'm very sad. NOBODY has reviewed my fic and this is the _third_ chapter. Do you want to be bribed!? -hands out cookies to nonexistent readers-

* * *

Harry raced into the living room and immediately started asking questions.  
  
"Why isn't it safe to ride on the train? Has Voldemort planned to board it? What's happening?"  
  
"Calm down Harry. You shall know in time. For now, I need you to pack up your things and meet me down here."  
  
"Erm...okay."  
  
Disappointed, Harry went up the stairs and started packing.  
  
"Where're you going so fast?" Dudley waddled over toward Harry's door.  
  
"Don't ask questions you're not prepared to hear the answers to."  
  
Dudley, not being very bright replied, "What's that supposed to mean?"  
  
"Go away, Dudley."  
  
"_NO_! I don't want to."  
  
"Well then I'll just have to tell my wizard friend down stairs that you want to meet him."  
  
A terrified look struck Dudley's face and he ran away rather quickly, clutching his enormous backside the entire way.  
  
Harry packed his belongings in his trunk and raced downstairs.  
  
Dumbledore was standing up holding out his wand. Vernon and Petunia were backed up against the wall looking wide eyed at him. Their experiences with wands never turned out very well, so they knew not to get in the way.  
  
"Could I borrow one of your socks, Mr. Potter?"  
  
"Uh...sure?"  
  
Harry took off his sock with a bewildered look on his face. He soon realized what it was being used for, though.  
  
"_Portus_!"  
  
"If you would be so kind as to touch the sock we shall happily be on our way."  
  
"Okay Professor."  
  
Harry waved goodbye to the Dursleys and then felt a sudden jerking behind his navel as he whooshed across a great distance to his school, Hogwarts.  
  
**_Kathump_**! The two travelers landed hard in Dumbledore's office and had to take a while to regain their senses.  
  
"I never liked traveling by portkey, I prefer to fly. Kestrels are very nice, as you know."  
  
"Professor, I really don't want to talk about that experience." Harry's eyes welled up with tears as he thought about his trip to the Ministry.  
  
_I've got to be strong. And I've got to figure out why I'm here so early._  
  
But before he could open his mouth, Dumbledore had disappeared.  
  
_Where'd he go?!_

* * *

Sorry this one was so short. If anybody is followin this fic, please review. Til next time.

Excalibur


	4. Explanation

This is an extremely short chapter that I'm using to build tension. MAYBE PEOPLE WILL REVIEW!! PS-Thanks to Mel() who is my first reviewer to date.

* * *

Harry scanned the room looking for any trace of Dumbledore. The past Headmasters and Headmistress's waved chatted amiably amongst themselves not paying one bit of attention to the teenager standing in their former office.  
  
Where did he go?  
  
All of a sudden, a great whooshing noise startled Harry. He turned around to find Ron, Dumbledore, and Hermione holding on to what seemed to be Ron's sock.  
  
"I'm sorry I left you here Harry but time was running short."  
  
"Why did you transport us here so early, Professor?"

"Yeah! And why not by train?"  
  
"Yes, yes....I better tell you. It is my displeasure to say that you and your friends are in grave danger. I had to get you three away from London as quickly as possible, for there is a plot against your lives!"


End file.
